1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a shock absorbing device for automobile pillar panels and, more particularly, to a shock absorbing device including a shock absorbing plate spring structure at a position between a pillar panel and a trim coupled to the pillar panel or between the inner and outer pillar panel members of the pillar panel, thus effectively preventing damage of a chassis and protecting passengers in the event of a car collision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, vehicles are provided with various shock absorbing members for effectively absorbing the impact energy caused by a car collision, thus effectively preventing damage of the chassis and protecting passengers from such impact energy in the event of a car collision. That is, a plurality of synthetic resin trims are provided at the pillar panels installed at the front, rear and side frames of the chassis. The front and rear bumpers are individually and interiorly provided with a shock absorber. In addition, both the steering wheel and the side door are provided with air bags for protecting passengers from impact energy caused by a car collision. An impact beam is installed in each of the side doors, thus more effectively preventing damage of the chassis and protecting passengers from such impact energy.
When impact energy caused by a car collision is applied to the chassis, the head of a passenger may be inertially impacted by the trim of a pillar panel, thus being seriously injured. Therefore, in most nations of the world, it is prescribed in the automobile safety rules that when impact energy caused by a car collision is applied to the trim of a pillar panel, most of the impact energy has to be effectively absorbed by the trim, thus effectively protecting a passenger from such an impact energy. It is thus necessary to provide effective shock absorbing members at the pillar panels, thereby protecting passengers from such impact energy and meeting such a prescription of the safety rules.
However, known shock absorbing members for pillar panels, which are used for meeting such a prescription of the safety rules, are problematic in that they take up excessive space in an automobile and complicate the process of manufacturing automobiles and increase the manufacturing cost of the automobiles.